Problem: Express this number in scientific notation. $0.5449$
Count the zeroes to the right of the decimal point before the leading $\leadingColor{5}$ : there are $0$ zeroes If you count the leading digit $\leadingColor{5}$ , there is $\exponentColor{1}$ digit to the right of the decimal point. So: $0.5449 = \leadingColor{5}.449 \times 10^{\exponentColor{-1}}$